Officials inaugurated a new $6.9 million radar facility at Seymour Johnson AFB, S.C, for air traffic controllers to monitor and control flights in 5,000-square miles of airspace, base officials confirmed. The 12,000-square foot Radar Approach Control facility is the first part of a three-stage construction project to house the RAPCON, airfield operations, and transient alert in a new complex, according to a Jan. 13 release. The base has undertaken several major infrastructure projects including a major runway renovation completed last September, and construction of a new control tower slated to begin next year, base spokesman SSgt. Charles Broadway told the Daily Report. Seymour Johnson’s RAPCON currently handles more than 80,000 flights a year, according to the release, Jan. 14.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.